Briquetagem de Resíduos de Café Cultivado no Sistema Safra Zero

Abstract

Plant biomass is all material resulting from photosynthesis, whether or not processed by living beings, features disadvantages as for its irregular shape, low density and high humidity. As a solution to such problem a process consisting of biomass energy densification in a high calorific power solid fuel called referred to as "briquetting" is proposed. In this context coffee, which is one of Brazil's largest commodities and produces biomass in different amounts depending on cultural practices such as pruning, including what we refer to as Zero Harvest System of crop conduction in which such system is based on two types of pruning, one of which consisting of coffee crop collar done at a height ranging from 1.5 to 1.8 meters and primary branch skeletons on the four sides of the plants set 20 cm from the trunk. The main feature of the skeleton is the possibility of its renewing itself as well as increasing the number of productive branches per plant, thus increasing the next harvest. This present work aimed to investigate the feasibility of briquette production. Different percentages of crop residues obtained from Zero Harvest such as branches, leaves and straw were used. All the fresh material was grinded to 5-10mm particles and laid to natural under-shade drying in sheds until they reached 12% moisture content. From their undergoing the briquetting process near natural-wood calorific value briquettes which can even replace wood as fuel were obtained.